untitled
by miceaholic
Summary: Not every great romance had a great begining, but they all had to start somewhere. For 'The Third Biker Scholars' challenge.


**Ok so this is my sad attempt at 'Third Biker Scholors' challenge. Sorry, I'm not good at mushy :P **

**I'm not sure how to spell Charley's name, I usually spell it Charlie but decided to spell it Charley this time, which way is most common?**

**And I didn't use a beta so sorry for misspells**

It had been a normal week of sports, racing, piging out on junkfood, and trashing Limburgers goons. To top it all off they had even managed to implode Limburger tower. Hearing The oversized tuna's scream of "NNNOOOO! Not again." Had put them all into good moods, and they decided the best way to celebrate was to visit their favorite mechanic, and drop off their rather large load of dirty laundry while they were at it.

The three bikers slid into the garage bay leaving black streaks behind them, laughing, with their rock music blaring. Vinnie bellowed as he took his helmet off, "Yo babe, dry your eyes, your dream man is here."

Charley sighed from her position under a badly mistreated truck, mummbling, "Oh happy days." The feel of something wrapping around her ankle was the only warning she had to lie flat before she was yanked out. She glared up at the smiling face of her golden furred friend.

Not seeming to notice the womans dark look Throttle asked, "So what's for lunch babe, we're starving."

Charley stood up and rubbed her face with a rag she had in her tool box, wiping the grease from her cheeks. She gave the three macho Mice an exsausted look, "I'm sorry guys, but my hands are full right now, I have a stack of unpaid bills i'm afraid to look at, a sink over flowing with _your_ dirty dishes, four bikes that need oil changes, a car that needs new brakes, and don't even get me started on this hunk of junk." she waved her hand at the truck she had been sweating under. "And the owner actually expects it finished by morning. The only thing that i've managed to finish today is mopping the floo..." She could feel her blood boiling at the black marks she now saw on the once clean concrete, and next to it three large trash bags, one spilling dirty socks onto the floor.

Throttle looked behind him at the mess they had just made, and tried to think fast, "(Uh oh. Ok just don't say anything dumb, and we may make it out of here with our tails intact)." To bad Vinnie was the first to open his mouth.

"No problem sweetheart, we'll just grab some dogs somewhere, and pick up our clean stuff later."

Modo's mouth dropped at his younger bro's words, and he quikly looked for somewhere to hide during the inevitable meltdown.

Charleen couldn't believe her ears, "Excuse me? Did you not hear anything I just said?" She growled out through clenched teeth.

Vincent didn't even seem to notice her angry tone as he answered, "Yeah, you said you were spending the day playing in the garage. I figured you wouldn't mind taking a break to do a few loads of hard working hero's laundry." He flexed to impress her before realizing the red in her face was _not_ a blush. Looking a little worried he choked out, "Is som, something wrong ba, babe?"

At this Point Throttle and Modo had both taken refuge, ducked behind their bikes leaving their bro to fend for himself.

Charley marched up to the lone Martian and poked him in the chest repeatedly with her index finger as she raged, "_Playing_! You think all I do all day is _play_! I work hard to put food in your over sized mouth and _you_ think that I want to spend what little rest time I have washing your nasty boxers? And before you open your mouth again, _NO_ I do _not_ enjoy doing these things for you, you, you, GRR, get out! All of you. Now!"

Before the ticked woman could grab one of her large wrenches Throttle grabbed Vinnie by his bandoleer and threw him onto his red racer before reving his own bike, the two peeling out of the building. Modo cautiously approached Charley, whom was turned facing her work bench, trying to calm down, "Miss Charley Ma'am?"

In a much quieter voice, though she didn't turn around, she answered, "I'm sorrry I blew my top like that big guy. I'm just a little stressed right now."

"(A little?)" The kind Mouse took a deep breath before he risked his very life, "Vinnie wasn't completly wrong." As Charley spun around, screwdriver in hand, he hastily continued, "About you needing a break I mean. Ya know, somthin' you enjoy, a hobby, to help you, um, de'stress."

"Like?"

"Like?" Modo tried to think of an example, but what kind of hobbies do women enjoy, he was pretty sure if he said baking he'd never see another day, " Well, um, paintin' your nails?"

Charley burst out laughing, causing Modo to sigh in relief, "I don't think prettying up my short nails before I get gunk under them again would help. Got any other ideas?" She coouldn't wait to hear what else the nervous giant would come up with.

He racked his brain, cutely scrunching up his nose, " I don't know Charley Ma'am, maybe somethin' you liked doin' when you were a kid, like me and fishin'."

She seemed surprised, then thoughtful, "I'll definatly give some thought to that big guy, but first I have alot of work to finish, and you need to catch up with the guys before Throttle beats Vinnie, too badly." She walked to the truck and slid herself back under as a relieved Modo put his helmet on and rushed to get his turn yelling at Vinnie for not thinking before he opens his big trap.

* * *

A few days later the three, two hundred something pound war veterans finally got up the nerve to face the one hundred thirty pound woman. Walking into the kitchen they saw Charley standing by the table sorting small colorful packets next to dirty gloves. She was wearing worn tennis shoes, cut off shorts, and an faded tank top, Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she had orchestra music playing on the radio that sat next to the open back door. Looking up she gave them a huge smile, "Hey guys, your just in time."

A curious Throttle raised an eyeridge and carefully asked, "In time for what babe?"

"Modo gave me the idea. When I was a kid I would help my grandpa in his vegetable garden, so I thought we could plant a flower garden. When I start feeling stressed I can come out back and dig in the dirt for awhile to relax, doesn't that sound like fun?" Her inthusiasm was however met with blank stares, so she said, "I already spent yesterday doing the hard part, tilling the soil and getting the rocks out, now all we have to do is mix in the fertilizer and plant the seeds."

Vincent bent over holding his sides as he laughed,Throttle, trying not to follow his bros example managed to say, "It's not really are kind of thing Charley girl, I mean if were going to be getting dirty there are usually balls, bikes and or explosives involved. But you have fun with that."

Modo gave his two smaller bros a dirty look before stepping foreward, "I'd be happy to help, Charley ma'am, It would be nice to actually help somethin' grow."

"Thanks big guy, I knew I could count on you." She smiled before turning to the other two, "And as for you, your helping one way or another," she pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, and handed it to Vinnie, "This is the list of errands I was going to run today, _you_ can do them."

Vincent looked at the paper now in his hand, and whined, "Awww, but sweetheart, this will take me all day."

"Then you better get started buster." She said, while thinking, "(I wonder how long it will take him to realize this is his punishment for what he said the other day)." Turning to Throttle, who was attempting to sneak out the door, she smirked and said, "And _you_, get to go tackle the mountain of laundry in the basement, that includes folding it." The tan Mouse knew argueing would do no good.

Charley pulled the mucky gloves on, while Vinnie, who's chin was propped on her shoulder, pouted, "Do I really have to do this babe?" When his only answer was a short "Yep" He sighed and looked at her hands, "Man, your gloves have alot of mud on them."

"It's not mud."

"What is it then?"

"Fertilizer."

"Oh, ok." Looking confused he asked, "What's fertilizer?"

Charley turned to face him with an evil smile, before placing her palm over his face and saying, "Cow poop."

"AAAAAH, EEEWWW, GROSS, GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF!" The last thing they heard him say as he ran out of the room was, "Evil, evil woman."

* * *

They had been working in the sun for two hours, and finally Charley sat back into the thin grass surrounding the area she had dubbed the garden, which ran along the back wall of the garage. She gazed over at Modo who was still bent over, covering the last of the seeds with soil, his armor abandond early on, she watched how the sun made his grey fur shine a dark silver. Finished he sat back next to her, "Done. Ya know Charley ma'am, your little hobby sure is a lot a work. Why'd you pick somethin' so hard when you already bust your tail runin' a business and takin' care of us?" He looked at the smiling woman next to him, noticing how her shirt clung to her curves.

"That was the hard part, now we get to watch as all of our labor _actually_ accomplishes something."

Seeing a sad shadow cross her eyes he asked, "What do you mean, you accomplish lot's of stuff."

Laying back on the ground she closed her eyes and sighed, "Sometimes I feel like I'm just running in circles, no matter how many transmitions I replace the stack of bills doesn't get any smaller. I clean, but the messes just pile up bigger the next time. You three play hero and keep stopping Limburger, while I make a pot of hot dogs. I feel useless sometimes, and just want to be able to point at something and say, I did that, even if it is just a tiny pink daisy." She opened her eyes, surprised to see modo laying next to her propped on his metal arm.

Modo looked down at Charley, with a soft look on his face, "I'll say it again, you accomplish lot's of stuff. The bills may never go away, but we still have electricity, water, and the all important cable. And I'm afraid ta think how bad this place and the scoreboard would look if we had ta clean it all ourselves, cuz without you we probably wouldn't." He smiled when Charley laughed, "And I don't know where you got the idea that you don't help us with the hero stuff, I've lost count of how many times you've saved us. And I don't just mean the big rescues, you _actually read_ a million medical books so you can fix us up as good as you do our bikes." He poked her in the nose with his flesh index finger, "And don't think we don't know some of those were vet books."

Blushing and trying not to giggle she cut in, "I doubt it was a million...". But Modo cupped her cheek, derailing her train of thought as their eyes met, and he continued in a low voice.

"You're there for us when we're fallin' apart, when this war becomes to much your there with comforting words and a strong hug. When I need a safe haven from the world your soothing eyes and warm smile are always waiting."

Reaching up she traced the edge of his ear, never breaking eye contact, "You do the same for me, when I need a strong shoulder to cry on, I know where to find two, and you're pretty good with the comforting words yourself, stud."

"He couldn't help notice the growing warmth inside him, as a slight pink showed on the woman's face. Brushing a strand of hair from her face with his thumb he leaned in closer saying, "But I don't manage to, no matter what's goin' on around us, still look so beautiful." Wrapping her arms around his strong neck she pulled him down

* * *

At dinner

Poke.

"Ow."

Poke.

"Ow."

Charley growled from the stove where she was dishing out the Hot dogs, "Vincent VanWham, will you _stop _poking Modo's sunburned back!"

With an evil smile turned to his much larger bro he said, " But it's not often a Mouse manages to burn right through his furr." The look was wiped off his face as Charley wrapped her arms around Modo's neck from behind and carefully hugged him.

"And for his trouble, later he'll get some Aloe Vera massaged in, while you," she looked up at Vinnie, "Do the dishes, Mister pokey." Vinnie's eyes opened wide as Charley kissed a grey nose before turning back to the stove.

With a shocked look He blurted, "Wha, what's going on here, did I miss something? What the heck happens durring this gardening thing?"

Modo's only answer was a satisfied smile and chuckle.

Throttle, who had remained queitly sittling at the table with an odd grin on his face while they waited for dinner to cook, suddenly seemed to change the topic, "You know that little window in the top of the basement/laundryroom wall? Well it got pretty hot down there while I was doing the clothes so I decided to open it." Everyone stared at him for his odd comment, but he took a sip of his root beer before, with a growing smile he said, "Did you know when that window is open, you can hear _everything_ happening in the backyard?"

Modo's mouth dropped open in horror, and Charlie turned redder than Vinnie's bike. Seeing the looks on everyone's faces Vincent yelled, "Seriously people, _WHAT DID I MISS!"_


End file.
